


withdrawal

by meriendas



Category: Homestuck
Genre: AU, F/F, Poor Kanaya, Unrequited Love, moirails who care too much, the gamkar is pretty marginal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-04
Updated: 2012-11-04
Packaged: 2017-11-17 17:22:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/554060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meriendas/pseuds/meriendas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karkat and Kanaya take care of their respective moirails after a party.<br/>Vriska tugs Kanaya's heartstrings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	withdrawal

You hear them coming from a block away, of course. They're likely waking the entire neighborhood with their raucous laughter and their shouting back and forth. Sighing, you wonder whether you should rouse Karkat. Probably not quite yet. He needs to rest while he still can. These two are a handful and a half after a party, and you know this night was a big one. 

If you looked out the window right now, you'd see Gamzee and Vriska coming down the road, hands clasped and swinging too high. She's singing a familiar song, her voice softer now while they approach the house. As you turn the page in your book, your ears pick up the subsequent sound of the tree outside the window rustling and Vriska's manic giggle.

“C'mon, clown boy, boost me up,” she says. “I'm too short for this stupid branch.”

“You got it, my fine motherfuckin' spidersis,” Gamzee rasps in reply. 

It's another minute before two paint-smeared, grinning faces appear at your window, illuminated now by the lamp you're reading by. They look entirely different from when they departed earlier that evening – clothes torn, hair disheveled, and you spot a new scrape on Vriska's cheek. There's nothing to do now but open the window. You cross the room and unlatch it, then slide it open and help your best friend tumble onto the floor of your room. Taking her face in your hands (she's still smiling up at you), you look into her eyes and god, her pupils are huge. Your heart aches for her. 

Gamzee, who had pulled himself through in the meantime, helps you stand her up. You look him over and decide that though bedraggled, he's okay enough to hold his own for a second. There's a curt knock on the door and Karkat comes in to collect his best friend. 

The exact reason why you and Karkat decided to share an apartment is unknown to anyone but the two of you. It was an unspoken truth that you were caught in mirroring situations (in essence, caring too much about others who were running themselves into the ground). You found it comforting to know you weren't alone in this. Sometimes it was as simple as sharing a room, him watching a movie while you worked at your sewing machine, or having someone to talk to when the worry kept you awake. In any case, it was far better than being by yourself.

After the boys leave, you usher Vriska into the bathroom across the hall and sit her down on the edge of the tub. She seems a little subdued now; scratching absentmindedly at her hand, she stares at something you can't see while you're hunting for the makeup remover. 

“Eyes closed,” you say. She obeys without a word. Sitting next to her, you gently wipe off her eyeliner, mascara, her bright blue eyeshadow. The paint requires some scrubbing and she wrinkles her nose like a child. After this, she gets off the tub and kneels by its faucet while you run the water for her hair.

“Shit, that's cold,” she mutters at first. You adjust the heat, then start on the tangled mess in front of you. Vriska seems to be sobering up a little; she makes contented noises while you shampoo and condition, thoroughly combing out her hair. You imagine that Karkat is experiencing something similar downstairs.

You're all getting far too used to this.

“I wanna actually shower, Fussyboots,” she tells you when you're done. She assures you of her capability to do so, pointing out the bathmat and easily accessible robe and towel. Your novel beckons from its spot on your bedside table, so you indulge her and sit down to wait. Well, that was the plan. She could use some sustenance, though. And maybe you should see how Karkat and Gamzee are doing. You do hear the shower kick on, so you make your way downstairs.

Gamzee is lying on the couch, watching some movie that Karkat put on. Karkat is in the kitchen already, making oatmeal by the look of things. You exchange tired nods. Vriska likes omelets, so you scramble some eggs. Despite the fact that she might not eat much of it, you're proud of the small omelet you slide onto a plate a few minutes later. 

“Hey,” Karkat says, catching your attention. 

“Mm?” you mumble. 

Not your most eloquent, but you're pretty exhausted. It's quarter to three, and you have to work at nine o' clock tomorrow. But that's beside the point as long as Vriska's still awake.

“I'll take your shift tomorrow,” he mumbles, sprinkling brown sugar onto the oatmeal. 

You shoot him a confused glance. “What? No, that's unnecessary. Besides, that would give you a double.”

“It's three. I know you need more sleep than that.”

You and he work in the same quaint little diner downtown. He usually works the register while you wait tables. Not the most glamorous job, but it pays.

You shake your head, make an executive decision, and take his phone from where it's resting on the counter. Your boss may not appreciate a text at this time of night, but you're both taking the day off and that's that. Karkat gives you an insulted look when he looks at it; still, if that's the most resistance you're getting, then you know it's about time to take a rest day. The omelet looks like it's starting to get cold, so you give him a pat on the arm as you leave and take the omelet up to the room on a plate. 

Vriska got out of the shower awhile ago, it seems, but has only dressed as far as her undergarments. Her back is to you and she's on the phone, talking animatedly to (you guess must be) Terezi. She tucks her legs under her as she looks outside. You grip the plate more tightly, shutting the door behind yourself. This prompts a reaction. Vriska turns back to look quickly and then wraps up the conversation. You don't think you want to know what they were talking about. 

“Kanaya,” she says mildly after a brief silence, “braid my hair.”

You hand her the plate and sit behind her on the bed, separating her hair out so that you can do so. The threading motion is calming for both of you. 

“That was a pretty delicious egg thing you made me,” Vriska tells you as she gets under the covers. 

You're about to pull the quilt up to her chin when she lunges at you, pulling you into a hug. When she lets go, she falls back onto the bed and gives you a lazy grin. 

“Ah, Kanaya. What would I do without you.” Vriska gathers the quilt up herself, yawning as she turns over and closes her eyes.

_What indeed,_ you think, and then you're clasping a hand over your mouth, leaving, sinking down on shaky legs against the wall in the hallway. Your eyes close as you take a shuddering breath, suppressing a sob. 

Karkat doesn't ask when he finds you there in the morning.  
He already knows.


End file.
